The Sun. — London, England, 1808-10-08 00:00:00

NIA I ARRIVED--2 CortMlla, 1 13t1bLn, Wuteiford. Gotter.buigh, t Wtit,:f6)(l. - PRICE OF STOCKS-, THIS DAY AT TWELVE O'CLZ);;K, Consol.) 'II HE SU N. SOLEM QUIS YALEUM AUDZAT? L 0 N D 0 N, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 8, 1808. LAST night we received some Spanish Papers to the 2d instant, from which we .I,Ov ewade some ex eee traas. The intelligence frorp Spain-continues to be of the must satisfa&ory nat&e, and, if we are not very touch deceived, we shail'soon hare to announce either the total defeat of the French Arcuy, or their retreat from their present strong position towards the Frontiers. The Capture of Bilboa has already produced some of the effeas that we prodieled, for the French immediately evacuated Burgos, after spiking all the cannon ; and if the Spaniards should succeed in the attack which they intend ed to make upon • St. Sebastian, when the last accounts came away, they will have completely turned the right wing of the French Army, and will be enabled to harass their rear, and to in tercept their reinforcements. The French Troops is Spain amount, according to these Papers, to about 39,000 men, but we preset - 111i this estimate relates merely to the troops concentrated behind the Ebro, and does nbt include the garrison of Barcelona, and the other troops in Catalonia. • Itodoei pot appear that any reinforcements (at least not to any considerable amount) have reached the French Army. It is possible that the threats which By ONAPA LITE threw out against Spain, were intended to deceive Austria, and that his plan, in the first instance; is to dire& the whole of his force against that Power. He knows from ex perience that he can carry on a campaign in Ger many in the winter 5 but tivit among the Pyrennees it is impossible. But whatever 131;c0NAFARTE'S real designs may be, it is certain that he has not re inforced his army in Spain. to any considerable et tent. The Spanish troops, from the North of Europe landed at Corunna, and immediately began their march for St. Andero. They will very soon be joined by their gallant Chief, ttv. Marquis DE La Rom?. A, who has set off for Spain, accompanied by Mr. FRER E and his brother. Dutch Papers to the ;st inst. reached town last night, but they are uncommonly barren of iotell;- gence. BUONAPARTE was at Metz on the 24tii, and intended to set out the next day for Franck fort but no account whatever is given of the journey of the ENtrEktoa of RUSSIA. Rear-Admiral TYLER, K ith his Fleet, and seven Russian Sail of the Line, arrived at Portsmouth yes terday, from the Taos. It is stated in a letter from Port,mouth, which we : h;lve seen, that the Russian Ships, upon entering thebalbour, hoisted their co lours ; but our Portscrio'litt Correspondent does not mention the circumstance. r; ,„. \\re have exira(ited from some Portuguese Papers whicii have reached us, several. Bulletins published by General JuNoT, containing the details of the sue- cesses which he obtained over the Portuguese Rebels, as he tcnns them,. in June and July last. The hbera i tion of Portugal from the oppression of the French has very much diminished the interest which would other Wise belon to those Documents, but we lay them before our Readers as official =know lecigmnts of the cruelFY•lekeici<ed over the Portu guese by the Ftencl;.-7' . 'llere is no news im portance in these Papers—. It,is stated in a IVlorning Paper, that such is the state of the roads in Portugal, 'that the British troops way be considered as prisoners there, for that it 'is impossible for them to march to the assist ance of the Spaniards. If any such apprehensions are. really etitertainectiwe can take upon ourselves positively to say that they are groundless, and we have no doubt that we shall soon have the satisfac tion of knowing that a very considerable portion of our troops are aelively employed in co-operating with the gallant Spaniards. A. Charleston Papers. dated August 2, 7, was re ceived This day. It stets, that the general discon tent against the Ena l isg9 : was increased so much, that it was supposed thatAstpwation between the Northern and Eastern States is not unlikely to be the result. The events in Spain and Portugal had diffused joy among all people who had not a French bias, and happily they were comparatively insigni fcant, and the French . character indeed seems every day to be sinking in estimation. Yesterday morning his MAJESTY, the Duke of F.ENT, Princesses SOY-HIA, AUGUSTA, :111:1 AMELIA, sceomvanied by Ladyi:. towE, Central htTz Roy, and Colonel TAYLosii lodevio_Windbor Park, and returned at twelve—, The QUEEN and Princess ELIZABETH took on airing to FrOgruore, &C. LC.; kiECIT.AL OF TFSE CP.MPA I GN BUO NAI'ARTF IN ITAL.?, ;N TUE YEARS y if- 3 AND 1797. CO:,II3AT OF DE.G9.] It is' under tins title that the historian of BeeNA FA .gives an account• of the third viaory of his hero; but either by accident or design the whole of his recital is given ia a visible state of confusion.— - We will endeavour to reduce it to sense by recount ing the circumstances in the order in which they passed. We have seen above, that General BEAULIEU, had advised D'ARGEgTEAU to march to Dego, in case that he could not take possession of Montenotte ; and he gave this advice because Dego was a post of the utmost consequence to maintain. What now should BuoNAPAlrr. have done after driving the Austrians from Montenotte He should have marched without delay to the attack of Dego;' and he should have done it so much the more, as this post was almost entirely without defence, the whole of the troops there consisting only of two Sardinian regiments, amounting to 1600 men. Add to this, that the traitor D'ARGENTEAU appeared to open the gates to him, since, in defiance of the express orders of his General, be marched his army du the other side of it. Who would believe it ? BUONA PARTE was extremely tardy in availing himself of the opportunity ; and this was an important fault, since it afforded time for supplying the place with men and stores, ant cost him much more trouble and loss of blood to obtain possession of it. It was the 11th of April, at break of day, that the cowardly flight of IYARGENTEAU had left the French masters of Moutenotte, and it was not till the afternoon of the next day that BUONAPARTE ap pealed before Dego. Would the Reader know the cause of this delay ? It is not very honourable, but it IS tale. • RUUNAPARTE knew that ROCCA VINA had . retired toT.,eg? alter his wound ! NoW the rePiAiation of this General gave 'him a considerable degree of uneasiness. lie .was appre hensive of a long and.vigOrous resistance from him ; and was previously solicitous to know, with cer - unary, whether ROCCAVINA would defend Dego - in person, or whether his wound was sudiciently serious to compel hint to entrust the defence to another*. Delivervd from the fear of having to combat so redoubtable an advt:rsary, BUONAPARTE, on the morning of the 12th, ordere d --ASSENA and LA HARPE to march against Dego, and to attack. it at the head of their division. At ten o'clock, we began to perceive the enemy at a distance. ROCC.aVit:itt ;Minediatolv avunted his horse, gave the coLumand of the place t.o the oldest of the two Sardinian Colonels, and quitted Dego, leaving, to his great mortification, no more than 3,650 men to protect it : this small force was composed of the two Sardinian Regiments, the Battalion of Pelegrini, that of Stein, which only marched in the evening before, and one Com panyof Austrian Artillery. Having established these preliminary fans, we shall now proceed to what the historian calls the Combat of Dego ; and, as there were two actions, entirely distjio, to which the - name of combat way be given, we shall speak of them in the order in which they took place. * It is not on heariay that I advance this, but on certain and ocular testimony. A peasant, whom I took for an inhabitant of Pego, came to me, and, with an expression of sorrow in . IV3 Countenance, inquired Of the state of Roc cAV NA. " is it really true," said he, " that the good General Kocc "Lyric (these were his very words), " is confined to his bed by his wounds There was nothing to surprisz me in this question, since I knew that the• General was.beloved and respected by all the country, no less on' account of his politeness and humanity, than of the strict discipline winch, he made his truovs observe wherever they marched. I ansi.wered, therefore, without any reserve, that Rocc A v INA was coal - hied to his bed. A few minutes afterwards word was: brought me that this peasant had disappeared. The truth instantly rushed on my mind, and I ordered him to be pursued ; but it was now too late. He had tied as fast as possible to give an ace,iiiit of his contrnissioii ; and we were afterwards intormedby some-A us trian Officers, who bad been made prisoners at Montenotte, and dismissed on their parole, that the return of this spy had occasioned a general joy la the French .carniti.,-and that it was only in consequence of his intelligence that the attack. on Dego had been ordered. This joy of the enemy's is the most glorious eulogium that.can possibly be made of Rocc.iv IN A ;. bat, at the same time, the exultation of BuoNwca - re clearly shews, that even at this early period he dreaded nothing so inus:h as being oppOsed to a man of honour and integrity. Cowards and traitors were the antagonists he sought, and against whom he marched with confidence: the hiitOry of his warfare too clearly proves, that he either found or Made them in every country ; and . his success • is no longer astonishing. i g . o be coil • Lieutenant-General Lord PAGET arrived in town yesterday morning, between five and six o'clock, from Nttugal, and nad a long audience.of the Duke of Yokitc. Sir ARTHUR WELLESLEY was- closeted a consi derable tittle with the Duke of, Yoitx. yesterday morning. Major-General TURNER, of the akl Guards, ar rived in town on Thursday night, from the Cape of Good Hope. Lord and Lady HOLLAND are, it is said, about to set out for Spain ; and it is added, but we believe without foundation, that his Lordship has applied to the Admiralty for a Frigate to take him over. P 0 fi TEC &ESE P. 4 PERS. Th e follow ing Bulletins, relative to the commence-, meat of the resistance to the French in Portugal, were published by the authority of Genei - al JUNOT : " The inhabitants of Villa Viciosa, misled by evil-minded persons and idle promises of some Spaniards, revolted on the wth June last, and immediately forced the Garrison of that place, which Consisted alone company of the 86th, to retire into the Fort. " General AVRIL, on receiving intelligence of this insurre°tion, left Estrenaos, where he then was, and marched for Villa Viciosa, with a derni-battalion ea some dragoons, and two pieces of cannon. The' rebels, who were in ambuscade, fired upon him ; but they were soon driven by the bayonet from all their positions. " General Amt. and Colonel LACRVIX then entered the town : the rebels fled on all sides, leav ing 200 dead in the streets. They were pursued into thecountry, where a great number of others suffered .the punishment due to their crime. Twelve of the leaders of the rebellion were token and shot. Tranquillity is at present restored in ciosa : the inhabitants have acknowledged their error, and implored the clemency of the General. " The moderation which our brave soldiers have displayed on this occasion is without example ; not withstanding the laws of war no house was pillaged; and this condu& has excited as much gratitude to wards our troops, as their valour has inspired ad- THEMII34itES marched upon him, and being joiner). • at Leyrta‘ by General .MARGARON on the sth of.T:.ly, atiackedatYcl defeated him. 'llallt:ii`the troops, and the whole of the artillery, '`w' r 4 `eiibt engaged in this aelion. The enemy left 600 dead on the field; on our side we had only one man killed, and a few wounded, while the loss of the enemy would have been much more considerable had not General MARGARON . restrained the indigna tier) of his troops. "Thus will all those be defeated who imitate their example. miration. • Headquarters, Lisbon, rune 25, IB3S. " By command of Mons. the Duke D'AIIR AtiTE52 Commander in Chief. " Head-Quarters, Lisboa, July 7, 184." r ~)~Eil~ " THFF.BAULT, Chief of the Stull." iv. -!; ,liot t - - - e defeaion and departdre of the Spanish .trAv i ltiarged with the ciefence of the Province be- iweenDOura and Minho, the carrying off the Ge neraliif Division QuEsNa, the Corregidor Most, and of the Civil and Military Authorities, having left that Province since the 7th of , lnne without force, and without an Administration, Monsieur the Duke D'AarrANTEs has charged Monsieur the General of Division, Count of the Empire, Lorsoll, to take the command of it, and to go to Oporto. After these orders, le General LotsoN set out - frOm ts.i me i,da on tile 17th of June, with a part of the hoops of his division. On the 21st be passed the Douro,, at Regoa, where he arrived with his colunin at! Mezani Frio, and his avant guard had marched to-• wards Amarante, when he was informed that his rear . guard, left on the Douro to'proted the march of his binigage, had been attacked ; he immediately re turire4: to punish this attempt. During this moment, hesursr a number of insurgents pcsted advantageous vineyards, who flanked his march. He imme diately caused them to be attacked by some compa nies of eclaireurs, who defeated and ki4ed a great number of them. This engagement did not, how ever, retard the march of the column, which pro" ceeded'and took a position at Regoa. " On the 224 a considerable body, together with 300 Spaniards, corning from Villa Real, and other - piaces, appeared at break of day before the ad aAced posts of General LOISON. They i mme diately eliaiqd and dispersed them, and left the road strew .. ettliM.th carcases. This operation being terminated, LoisoN resumed and continued his march to Oporto, when he received enders from the Duke of A/MANTES t 0 return to Alruicida. Lie, in COLISCI` quence, repassed the Douro. " On the 23d he marched to Castro. A body of insurgents dared to approach his rear guard- He wheeled and attacked them; they were def eated ' dispersed, and lost 400 men, a mong. v; Locr, were two bearers of callaurs. " From this time to the 29th, General. L 0 15014 saw- no more insurgents ; but being arrived at Cele' • rico, he learned that the Village of Serpentine was in full revolt, and that the greater part of the inha bitants were armed. He resolved to chastise this Village, and sent thither two companies to burn it, if resistance were made. The insurgents did not dare to wait for our troops, and fled at their approach; 'tho l 4e who remained were protected, and treated with r. indness. The house of the Lieutenant-Colonel of Militia, who had been a• promoter of this rebellion, " The third Battalion of the 26th Regiment of the Line, and the Legion of the South, commanded by Colonel MARANSION, attacked on the 27th of June, the City of Bega, where 6,000 armed rebels had barricadoed themselves, defied our troops,l and refused them a passage. Notwithstanding the acl 7 vantage of the position, and the inequality of num bers, every thing yielded to the impetuosity of our troops, who entered Bega in the midst of great carnage.. The rebels left 1,200 dead on the field of battle. AU those taken with arms in their hands were put to the sword, and all the houses from which we had been fired upon were barred. " DACIJGNA, who commanded the • rebiels,. in a, cowardly manner, abandoned them at :he beginning of the attack. We have to regret the less of soruts brave men who fell in the field of honour, among whom is the Chief of Battalion BEIITHEN, an Offi cer of merit ; the Captain of .Battalion DIEN ; Cap tain Dußois, and the Sub-Lieutenants LANISURE and LACOUSURE, were slightly wounded, after hav ing distinguished themselves. " The inhabitants of the town and territory of Beja, restored to themselves by the dispersion )ernt o . his :f of E tle Rebels, sent a respec. - table religious parson cellency the Duke D'AIIRAi,:TES, to implore his de— • • —,- mency, represent their, repentance, and SlVe3t: lity, confess they had been misled by the perfidious sedu6tions of the English, and acknowledge that they had been justly chastised. Excellency received this Envoy with kind ness; order is re-established in Beja, and peace reigns in that country. licad-quarters, Lisbon, I uly 2, ISA." was burned. " When General LOISON arrived at Guarda, he expelled to be received there as a friend, several For' tuguese Officers having been deputed to assure hi of it. What was his indignation when he 101, i ' c ,,, that two Officers who preceded him, to rog u- ; ci the , subsistence and lodgment of the troops' h been fired upon. " He immediately hastened his march, and on . approaching the town, found the rebels drawn u P in two lines, flanked by strong posts, and their centre supported by two pieces of cannon. He ordered the attack : it was execut • , . . ,•'''.l ed with coolness and intrepidity. Tne riflemen of the in• " The spirit of insanity which had led astra y the '' a ,`'surcrents endeavoured for a moment to resist ours, inhabitants of Beja, and rendered necesaary the ter- j but they Were . repulsed with enormous loss.-- rible chastisement whiCh that town has received, The lines endeavoured to make a stand, but their: has likewise existed in the Noith of POrtugal. In efforts only added to their disaster. Forced in several places; their different parts were at o nce their delirium, Several towns had raided the standard broken and turned, and their artillery was taken.-- - of revolt ; and, led astray by culpable Priests and The massacre was terrible ; the disorder general. perfidious foreigners, had taken the field. Their All who could escape were dispersed—pore than a , thoffsezrd dead remained on the field of battle ; and contingent formed a corps of 70ou men, whic h General LotsoN, pariiiing the remainder of these corps, marching upon Lisbon, announced that it wretches, entered Guarda with fixed bayonets. came to destroy the Fre n ch Army, "On the sth; he marched to Malaya : that village was almost deserted. The Juiz Ota2inario was there, " The Duke D'ABRANTES, judging these but he had no means of supplying the wants of the wretches more deserving of. pity than anger, sus- troops, aric',4i4 De FOra, inslea,.l of procuring theril . pended the effei'its of his just displeasure, and, ena provisions, as .he had been ordered, left the place and joined a body of insurgents at Alpedrinhs• deavoured to procure by persuasion, , what, it''‘,4r,.he two battalions t vo battalions of the provisory regiments of . easy for him to obtain by' force of atAli. Wittltft's' 3l F - h n - i i- o i l i& tinfantry, i set out in consequence to disperse view, and to .spare the' effusion of blooA, ihe...44l,Ahis body', to procure provisions,' and brink back the 4nia . De Fora, it possible. some intelligent persons to shew to the illergittlebn! , ' ,-, • • " On' approachina. Alpedrinha, they found the thee, fli dr folly of their projeds, the odiousness of ,c - rebels Posted in a kind of redoubt, half-way up the duet, and that inutility of their efforts; but this'ine- • heights on which the town is situated. Gen. Caalt thod not succeeding, he sent, on the 2d of July, Loa., who diredeci this movement, perceived that this position might be turned. One of his battalions the morning, General r.vIAR6MION, with the 3d bat- took the right of the insurgentS, and the enemY ration of the 12th light infantry, the aed of the line; was at once awaked in flank and rear ;- and Me de the grenadiers, .and the voltigeurs of the 47th and fence which these intrenchnients seemed to aiford only occasioned the death of a great number. 58th, five pieces of cannon, a squadron of horse : ~ The loss of the rebels was considerable. Amo n g chasseurs, and a squadron of dragoo. a a. 1 the slain was Capt. Mon, who, in uniform, cow" This unexpected movement stopped the engrny, i manded the whole body. ) ; " The Town of Alpedrinha was taken, i n copse deranged all his combinations. He ailandoned . quence of the defeats of the insurgents, and deli' the idea of inclining upon reniche ) whence General , vered to the flames. By order of Monseigneur the Due IYABRANTES, Commander-in-Chief of the Staff. atitm, .. •• THI Mkt; LT." ---- 111.